Nienna

Summary

Nienna was the Vala of mourning, and she pitied the suffering of others and the wounds of Arda, especially its marring by Melkor. However, it is said the lesson of Nienna is not of endless grief, but rather of pity, hope, and the endurance of the spirit.

Nienna was one of Fëanturi and dwelt in far western Valinor near the halls of Mandos. She seldom came to Valimar, and her windows looked out beyond the Walls of the Night, perhaps related to her song becoming a lamentation during the Ainulindalë because of the work of Melkor, who was later trapped beyond the Doors of Night. It was her tears that watered the mound from which the Two Trees would sprout forth.

She often pitied others, most clearly seen in her support for Melkor when he sued for the pardon of the Valar. Though she spent her time in the world mourning for the destruction he had wreaked in Arda, and her song had become lamentation because of his works, when he sued for release after his three ages of captivity, Nienna spoke on his behalf.

After the Flight of the Ñoldor and the betrayal of Melkor, Nienna mourned for the destruction of the Two Trees, and her tears brought healing, but could not heal their mortal wounds or the destruction brought by Ungoliant. Though Yavanna thus could coax the trees into bringing forth their last flower and fruit, which were made into the Sun and Moon.

Little is known about her appearance, save that she wore a grey hood. Given that Gandalf was her greatest student, him being clothed in grey, and taking up the tile of the grey, may have been a mark of respect to her.

Powers and Stats

Tier: High 3-A | Low 1-C

Key: Within the confines of Eä | Prior to entering Eä

Name: Nienna

Origin: The Silmarilion

Gender: Female

Age: Existed before the creation of time

Classification: Ainu, Vala, Arata, Valier, Sister of the Fëanturi

Powers and Abilities:

• Within the confines of Eä
• Prior to entering Eä

Powers and Resistances of the Ainur (Abilities and Resistances of the Aratar from "Within the confines of Eä"), Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Flight, Regeneration (Low-Godly), Immortality (Types 1 and 3), Shapeshifting, Size Alteration, Elemental Manipulation, Empathic Manipulation (The lords of the Ainur could create joy and, by extension, sorrow), Telekinesis, Transmutation, Precognition, Invulnerability (The Ainur are immune from harm via conventional weaponry, as seen when, upon unlocking more of his divine power, Gandalf became invulnerable), Resistance to Death Manipulation, Intangibility and Non-Corporeality (At the very least in spirit form), Acausality (Type 2; Changes to the past or future are unable to affect the "Music in being", otherwise referred to as the present) as a verse-wide ability. Resistance to Mind Manipulation (The barrier of Unwill within every individual mind prevents mental penetration by even the likes of Sauron without consent.) and Soul Manipulation (Soul with free-will are considered indestructible) due to verse-wide resistances

Powers and Resistances of the Ainur (Abilities and Resistances of the Aratar from "Prior to entering Eä"), Resistance to Mind Manipulation and Soul Manipulation due to verse-wide resistances.

Attack Potency: High Universe level (The Valar are said to collectively have "a command, great individually, almost complete as a united council, over the physical matter of Eä." As one of the Aratar, Nienna is far superior to her lower counterparts) | Low Complex Multiverse level (The Ainur, as described by Eru, are considered to be powerful and genuine entities, being capable of shaking the Timeless Voids as a result of their strife during the Music of the Ainur. As beings that exist in a realm beyond the world depicted in The Lord of the Rings, the Ainur perceive the space-time of Eä as a lower and secondary plane of existence, with them dwelling alongside Eru within the Timeless Halls, a higher and more primary level of existence. As a lady of the Aratar, Nienna is incomparably superior to the Maiar and even the lesser members of the Valar)

Speed: Unknown. Massively FTL+ combat speed and reactions (Comparable to the other Valar), Infinite when discarding her physical form (While no longer capable of travelling to the future, the Ainur were still capable of travelling at any speeds they desired, being able to instantly appear anywhere they desired within Eä) | Immeasurable (In their origin, the Ainur were unbound by space-time, and were capable of exploring both the past and future with their movements)

Lifting Strength: Infinite (The Valar, are said to have "had a command, great individually, almost complete as a united council, over the physical matter of Eä.") | Immeasurable

Striking Strength: High Universe level | Low Complex Multiverse level

Durability: High Universe level | Low Complex Multiverse level

Stamina: Superhuman (The bodies of the Ainur are described as being akin to clothing, which they can discard at will. Lesser Ainur than Nienna have been known to fight for days, and she, alongside the other Valar, were said to have contested Melkor for entire ages) | Limitless

Range: Extended Melee Range. High Universal with her abilities (Comparable to Varda) | Low Complex Multiversal

Standard Equipment: None notable

Intelligence: Unknown (The Ainur are said to have a great understanding of the world, as it was they who created it. Among the Ainur, the Valar are said to be the most knowledgeable, having an almost complete understanding of Eä's material, with even greater understanding in the areas they specialised in) | Possibly Nigh-Omniscient (The Ainur acted as the origin to all that which existed within Eä, except for that which Eru himself withheld)

Weaknesses: Like all Valar, Nienna suffers from over-connection to her element, leading to her crippling depression. She often pitied others, suing for mercy on their behalf, even if they do not deserve it.

Notable Attacks/Techniques: Like all Ainur, Nienna has access to a wide range of dangerous powers, mostly related to the elements.

Powers of the Ainur: As a Vala, Nienna has access to wide variety of potent and devastating supernatural abilities, for the Ainur (The Valar specifically) were created as elemental spirits, and each have divine authority and absolute control over a certain aspect of nature. Each and every one of the Ainur is also able to manipulate magical energies and reality to serve their needs, and take any form they wish, even intangible and non-corporeal spiritual forms. Given she is a Vala, above any of the Maiar, there is no doubt she can use all of the basic Ainur powers.

• Elemental manipulation: As one of the Ainur, it is highly likely that Nienna had authority and control over one aspect of nature, though that aspect was neither confirmed nor specified. Still, it is very likely she has some measure of control over endurance, given that she is a spirit of endurance of the spirit. Her exact powers, however, in all likelihood are not made for combat.
• Foresight/Hindsight: The Ainur can see the past and the future (Though the latter is fallible). Given Nienna's nature as one of the Fëanturi, foresight is all but assured. Indeed, if she doesn't use this power, she would be the only Fëanturi not either have or grant visions of the future.
• Empathy: The Ainur are surrounded by an a powerful aura, which can affect those around them, bringing joy and presumably sorrow to those near them: "In Beleriand King Thingol upon his throne was as the lords of the Maiar, whose power is at rest, whose joy is as an air that they breathe in all their days, whose thought flows in a tide untroubled from the heights to the deeps."
• Shapeshifting: As one of the Ainur, it was highly likely that Nienna possessed the famous Ainur ability to transform and reshape the form of one's body, appearing in whatever form she desired. They can also appear as inanimate objects, such as when Yavanna appeared as a tree.
• Spirit form: As one of the Valar, it was highly likely that Nienna had the typical Ainur ability to cast off her physical form like a snake shedding its skin, and take on an intangible and non-corporeal spiritual form. In this spiritual state, the Ainur are able to travel forward and backward in time (Though they are unable to affect the future or the past, only see it). Of the Ainur's spirit forms and precognitive powers this was said:

“

They could move backward or forward in thought, and return again so swiftly that to those who were in their presence they did not appear to have moved.

„

Others

Notable Victories:

Notable Losses:

Inconclusive Matches:

Discussions

Discussion threads involving Nienna